Azunar
Azunar (Original name Azun'Tar) the Daemon Prophet and Herald of Chaos, is the Chaos Lord of the Consecrated Warband, and the larger Dark Priesthood organization. A fanatical devotee of the Dark Powers, Azunar is hellbent on bringing about the End Times, and believes that upon the Emperor's death, the Chaos Gods will remake the Material Universe in the image of Chaos Undivided. Biography Cursed Beginnings Azunar was born upon Colchis to two minor clergy members of the Covenant. He was born with the name Azun'Tar, meaning "Hell-Priest" in Colchisian. He was taught to worship the four Gods of the Covenant as all were. His name, Hell-Priest, had meaning from two aspects of his life: One, he was zealously dedicated to the teachings of the Faith and wished to spend his life preaching in the name of the Gods, and two, he was haunted. Azun'Tar was a Psyker: An untrained and vulnerable psyker. Azun'Tar had horrible visions and waking nightmares all his young life, his soul clawed at by the Daemons of the Warp. His mind was haunted by a recurring vision, a dark nightmare: The Galaxy dominated, enslaved and consumed by a Darkness, a darkness darker than the void between the stars. Azun'Tar's deep faith in the Four Gods was, in fact, a desperate gambit to save his soul from the darkness he felt within it. Yet no matter how much he prayed to them, the shadow loomed and lingered. Then Lorgar came. The war between the Covenant and the Godsworn tore Colchis apart. At first the young, 13 year old Azun'Tar fought for the Covenant. The Old Faith was the True Faith. Lorgar was little more than a heretic! But after seeing Lorgar on the battlefield, everything changed. The nascent Primarch's visage was so super-humanly beautiful, so utterly glorious, that in an instant Azun'Tar's beliefs were cast aside. The darkness in his soul shrunk and withered beneath Lorgar's visage. So overjoyed by the curing of his ailments that, in an instant, Azun'Tar turned his weapons against his fellow warriors, screaming praises not to the Four Gods, but to the God Emperor. After countless battles in the name of the Emperor, Azun'Tar was recruited into the Word Bearers and was made into an Astartes. His nightmares, for the most part, were buried. Great Crusade Azun'Tar joined the ranks of the Chapter of the Ceaseless Crusaders, a chapter composed of Word Bearers especially active in their part of the Great Crusade. This Chapter was united as one military force in the form of the 1500th Expedition Fleet of the Crusade. Their name derived from their ideology: the best way to praise the Emperor, according to them, is to conquer in his name, bring more worlds into compliance, not take the time to rebuild them as the greater Legion did. They simply went from world to world, killing and conquering as Astartes were meant to. The true reason behind this was that the faith in the Emperor as a God was lacking in this Chapter: The Chapter Master, Rakul, and the First Chaplain, Kedar, were staunch believers in the Imperial Truth, and Terran-Born in stock for that matter. Azun'Tar's inner daemons seemed to be quelled. That is, until the Crusade arrived at a world that would live in infamy. The world upon which Azun'Tar's descent began. Purging of Xarnuhn Xarnuhn was nothing but Daemon-Infested ruin when the Astartes arrived. All that was left of the Hive World was empty, defiled cities filled with the creatures of Chaos. The Ceaseless Crusaders made landfall on the planet, charging headlong into the fray to slay the abominations that had been unleashed there. Azun'Tar followed with them, determined to conquer the creatures that, to his tortured mind, were the living embodiment of the Darkness he had seen so long ago. The Crusaders charged fearlessly into the fray, cutting apart daemon after daemon in their quest to spread the Emperor's light. But this was the first time they had faced the creatures of the Warp, and many of them were confused and horrified by the madness of the Warp. The traumatizing, illogical randomness of Chaos was too much for Rakul and Kedar to bear, for it seemed to them that the clarity of the Imperial Truth melted away like a fragile lie. Filled with hateful, righteous anger, they charged into the heart of the Daemonic assault, fighting their way to the topmost spire of the warp-infested Hive. Azun'Tar followed, though he was not one of the Honor Guard. He was driven on by a mixture of hatred, fear and ambition. Ambition to cast down these Daemons in the Emperor's name. Azun'Tar fought and butchered his way to what had once been the throne room of the Hive's central Spire. There, he saw the Honor Guard, Rakul and Kedar facing off against the source of the carnage: A creature that would later be known as a Lord of Change. The creature laughed at the Space Marines, taunting them with vague allusions and repeating one phrase: Your doom is already among you. The battle was fierce and bloody, with many of the Honor Guard falling to the Daemon's fell might, but at last a battered, wounded Azun'Tar managed to deliver the killing blow. The Daemon was dragged back into the Warp, but not before locking eyes with Azun'Tar and casting some unknown spell on him. In an instant, Azun'Tar's soulfire changed. It burned with a strange, malefic light and, from his perspective, he had lost consciousness. When he awoke, he found himself standing upright, surrounded by the bodies of the Honor Guard, the Chapter Master and the First Chaplain. He had killed them all while under the Daemon's power. The victory was a Pyrrhic one, for many Brothers had died from the assault, and all who survived had been corrupted by the Warp in some subtly way that would sprout and reveal itself in the Great Heresy. Nevertheless, this was the beginning of Azun'Tar's rise, for him being the sole survivor of confronting the Daemon had him be found as worthy of taking up the mantle of Chapter Master as his own. By the order of Erebus the First Chaplain of the Legion, however, he was also appointed as the First Chaplain of the Ceaseless Crusaders as well, taking both roles as one. Unbeknownst to all, Erebus was aware of Azun'Tar's corruption and psychic powers, and sought to use those powers for some unknown purpose. Dark Thoughts and Twisted Soul After his encounter with the Daemon, Azun'Tar was not the same. He possessed dark thoughts: his faith in the Emperor was flawed, and he doubted himself. Whenever he gave praise to the Emperor as a God, something deep inside him felt wrong. Something was calling to him. For a while Azun'Tar could use his oratory skills alone to stir his brethren into fanaticism, but his ruse could not last long. It would only be a matter of time before his faith was found wanting. In his time alone he poured over the tomes and religious texts of the many heathen worlds they had brought into compliance, the fragments of the civilizations he burned. He repeatedly noticed parallels between the cultures he studied and the old teachings of Colchis that he still remembered. Over time he became more obsessed with the Canticles of Colchis, studying the Old Faith whenever he was alone and far from possible discovery. His visions of the all-consuming darkness became more lucid and common, and disembodied voices spoke to him, telling him to take a new name: Azunar. It could be roughly translated to "Hell-Prophet" rather than his original name, Hell-Priest. Azun'Tar saw this as a sign of his own growth. And so he adopted the new name. The Pilgrimage The burning of Monarchia was traumatic for Azunar, as it was for his entire Legion. But for Azunar, there was good in it. Lorgar's announcement of the Pilgrimage seemed to validate Azunar's deep desire to study the Warp. And so he undertook the journey. The Ceaseless Crusaders journeyed through Segmentum Ultima, searching for the Primordial Truth of the Universe. It was fated that the Primarch, Lorgar, would find the truth in the Eye of Terror, but the Ceaseless Crusaders would find the truth of Chaos their own way. Azunar's visions got more visceral and violent on a daily basis, increasing in power and magnitude over time. The vision would slowly change from an apocalyptic warning into a promise of salvation, the darkness becoming a symbol of enlightenment and a glorious rebirth for Mankind. At the apex of his visions, Azunar saw into the Warp and looked upon the four Gods of Chaos firsthand. The Primordial Truth was revealed to him at the exact same time that the Serrated Suns entered the Eye of Terror, making him one of the first Chaos Space Marines to exist. The darkness long dormant in his soul had devoured him utterly. The Horus Heresy Soon after Azunar's corruption, the whole Chapter fell with him, as they relied on him for spiritual guidance, since he was the First Chaplain. Lorgar's return from the eye and the writing of the Book of Lorgar cemented their fall, and very soon the Crusaders had renamed themselves the Chapter of the Baelful Abyss. They embraced the Word of Lorgar with extreme fervor and, under Azunar's tutelage, were taught the same lesson his visions showed him: This Galaxy belongs to Chaos, and anyone or anything that challenges that claim is an enemy that must be destroyed. The Baelful Abyss chapter reinforced the Shadow Crusade and also appeared in a thousand other battles across the Galaxy, but inevitably were driven back during the Scouring campaign. They were, however, infamous for being slow to retreat, most likely being one of the last Word Bearer forces to flee into the Eye of Terror. The Schism of Faith After the Word Bearers had securely conquered Sicarus and made it their home world, Azunar set to work on enforcing the Word of Lorgar. The Baelful Abyss chapter was so fanatical, the Astartes of the chapter worked alongside the mortal slaves to build the first temples. Azunar would give many different sermons each day, 9 centered around the Tzeentch aspects of Chaos Undivided, 8 dedicated to Khorne, 7 to Nurgle and 6 to Slaanesh, before finishing with a grandiose display of faith in Chaos as a whole. So skillful an orator and ingenious a priest was Azunar that he gathered a large following in the priesthood of the Word Bearers, other Apostles even taking inspiration from his sermons to voice their own interpretations of the Word of Lorgar. But this influence would be Azunar's downfall rather than his boon. Erebus, the leader of the Dark Council, took note of Azunar's rising fame, and sought to undermine him. Azunar's sermons had a deep stressing on purity of faith and absolute obedience to the will of Chaos. Erebus, having his own interpretations of the usually vague will of the Warp, and undoubtedly possessing his own ambitions, feared that Azunar's rhetoric would incite rebellion within the Legion, overthrowing the Council. He could not have Azunar killed, as he already possessed too powerful a following already, and doing so would make Azunar a martyr. Soon, however, Erebus would have the opportunity he needed. Azunar struck a nerve with his Legion when he gave a sermon regarding the nature of power and authority: That true power could only be derived from faith towards and favor from the Chaos Gods and the Warp. This heavily implied that Lorgar Aurelian was not worthy of their loyalty automatically for being their Primarch, but that what made him their master was his role in the rise of Chaos in the galaxy. The Council deemed such rhetoric heresy, and Azunar was to stand trial. After a lengthy debate regarding the exact implications of the Faith, the Council made a decision. Azunar's loyalty to Lorgar and the Legion was without question, but the nature of that loyalty could not go unpunished. Too sinful to remain in the faith, yet sound enough to not be grounds for execution, the Council declared that Azunar, and all those who followed him, would be exiled from the legion, forced to survive on their own as a Warband, until the Council would absolve their sins and allow them to return. They would pay penance for their sins in a crusade against the worshipers of the Corpse Emperor. The Baelful Abyss, along with whatever individual Word Bearer astartes or even entire hosts that sympathized with Azunar's creed, left Sicarus and disappeared deep into the Eye of Terror. (To be added later) Appearence and Physiology Azunar is always seen wearing tattered, black robes over a dark, long-dried blood red armor, the robes torn and tattered by the many spikes on the armor, less wearing the robes and more having them impaled along his back. His armor is covered in both Colchisian and Daemonic runes, and his helm eyes, rather than green, burn a bright, fiery orange/red. His helmet is covered in the assorted decor of a Chosen Champion, with four esoteric, curving horns protruding from it's scalp. The Armor is structured to give off a vastly daemonic feel, to look as if the wearer is possessed by a daemon. The armor appears to have many bonelike ridges and spikes, as well as non euclidean designs in the armor's shape. Very rarely does Azunar remove his helm, and when he does, those who look on his face are usually either killed or transformed into a Chaos Spawn. To look directly into his eyes is to see the Warp in it's purest most maddening form. Those who have not lost their minds to his gaze report that every inch of his face is covered in runes and symbols from the Book of Lorgar, carved as deep scars into his flesh. Unusual Metamorphosis Azunar is not a normal Chaos Lord. If one with Witch-Sight were to gaze into Azunar, they would find that his soul is no longer as it was. Azunar's soul is so utterly saturated with the energies of Chaos that he stands on a finely thin line between Mortality and the Immortality of Daemonhood. Personality and Traits Azunar is a strategically minded warrior, and while he is fanatically dedicated to the Gods, his favorite method is not open war, but steady infiltration. Working from the shadows for the last ten thousand years, Azunar has patiently waited for his goals to come around. He is absolutely convinced that the Chaos Gods are the righteous and rightful rulers of the Material Universe, and that it is his obligation to plunge all of reality into Chaos. Azunar is famous for being extremely ruthless on the battlefield. Clad in daemonic armor and wielding his Dark Crozius, Azunar is capable of reaping great and terrible destruction in a brief amount of time. Wielding dark and esoteric powers drawn from the Warp, Azunar is an avatar of destruction. Powers and Abilities * '''Font of Chaos: '''Azunar himself is a locus of Warp power, the energies of Chaos wafting off of him as if his own body were a Warp rift. This aura of corruption and daemonic power thins the veil wherever he may tread * '''Centre of Zeal: '''Azunar's presence on the battlefield invigorates his allies and servants, driving them to ever more debased and vile acts. * '''Chaos Abyss: '''Azunar can open rifts to the Warp with ease, sending entire formations of the enemy to horrific doom. The battlefield is a hellscape around him. Wargear * '''Armor of Darkest Faith: '''Forged in the Forge of Souls for this Apostle, it's metal cooled with the blood of a hundred sacrifices, the armor is heavily corrupted by the powers of the Warp. Covered in daemonic runes and symbols that glow with malignant power, it is more like the armor of a Daemon than an Astartes. * '''Harbinger: '''The name given to his Dark Crozius, Harbinger is an ancient weapon of great power. The one who wields it has his words suffused in the power of the Immaterium, making his rhetoric ever more convincing. In the hands of a skilled orator such as Azunar, this power is used to great potential, entire worlds swayed to his creed. It has an alternate form as a Hellblade, crackling with the powers of the Warp. Relations Allies (Feel free to add your own) Valkyura Warpschild: The Chaos Sorceress and Possessed Champion of Chaos, Valkyura Warpschild, made good her alliance with Azunar late in the 41st Millenium, the pair coming together over mutual devotion to the will of Chaos. While Azunar initially demanded Valkyuras fealty, and supplication, he was denied by her strong conviction and faith in the dark gods, whom she swore were the only beings she would ever bow to and prostrate herself before. She however, recognised the shared goal between them, the galaxy-spanning worship of the ruinous powers, and so has committed herself and her forces to aiding Azunar, when and if he requires them, her only desire to see the culmination of a galaxy ruled the Dark Gods. Enemies (Feel free to add your own) Quotes By About (Feel free to add your own) Category:Chaos Space Marine Characters Category:Chaos Characters Category:Chaos Lords Category:Chaos Sorcerers Category:Chaos Category:Chaos CharactersCategory:Chaos Space Marines Category:Daemons